Posture
Posture is the alignment of one's physical form. Posture can communicate one's health and confidence. Posture and confidence A person can advertise a higher level of confidence and manliness by working on their posture. Many don't pay much attention to their posture, and they often subconsciously revert to a posture that is sort-of hunched, while others relax their posture in a way that appears lanky and teenager-like, which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Neck posture Properly posturing one's neck can easily make a person appear a little taller. Lending to the importance of neck posture is the fact that, when people look at other people, they tend to look up towards the face and head. Ideally, proper neck posture means aligning one's back and neck straight, and positioning one's head so the nose is pointing straight ahead. If one leans their head forward and tilts their head back, it's like their used to looking up, thus they can appear "child-like" in posture. If a person instead leans their head forward so their eyes would "look up" to meet someone else's, their posture can seem defensive, and even defiant. Shoulder posture Men generally have broader shoulders, and broad shoulders in men generally inspire confidence. A properly postured pair of shoulders can make a man's chest appear larger, though going too far with it can make someone appear "puffed up". Generally, allowing one's shoulders to rest on opposite sides suffices. Sometimes, a person makes the mistake of relaxing their shoulders when crossing their arms. Doing so would cause that person's shoulders to move forward, shrinking their chest, and making them appear less confident. Often, crossing one's arms is viewed as defensive, however, a person can appear quite strong and confident while crossing their arms by keeping their shoulders in the same general position they would be if their arms were relaxed to either side. In doing so, the person maintains their chest size, and can appear quite confident. Spinal posture A person can benefit from an aligned spine while either sitting or standing. When a person is standing up straight, they can appear taller and more confident. There are also health benefits to maintaining a properly-aligned spine, as someone with a herniated spinal disk can attest. Hip posture One may notice that a person doesn't appear too "soldier-like" with a pelvis that leans to one's side. When the situation doesn't call for that, why do it? How often does one see either the president or a four star general postured like a freeze-frame from a hula dance? When it's leadership or confidence you want to project, keep the hips even on both sides. There are other times to project one's libido. Knee posture This doesn't receive much attention, but it can still be picked up on a subliminal level. Much of the time, it's better to stand with knees "locked", unless one happens to be an athlete in the middle of a game. Foot posture How a person's feet are positioned can be apparent, even if their feet are not immediately visible. And how they are positioned can make a difference. If a person typically relaxes their feet by resting their feet on their sides while standing or sitting, they are much more likely to twist their ankle, which can inhibit their mobility (it also hurts). When standing, a confident position is with feet spread a moderate distance apart (usually no further than one's shoulders) with toes pointing forward. Posture habits There are some habits that can impact one's posture, can reduce confidence when seen, or possibly cause pain or damage. Some of these may be permitted to do in moderation, for purposes such as projecting relaxation. Among these are: *Crossing one's legs, sometimes resting one's leg on an ankle. *Placing one's elbows on a table. This can sometimes appear uncouth or unconfident. *Resting one's face or chin on a fist or hand, with an elbow on the table. *Resting a fist or hand on one's abdomen. Sometimes this may appear confident, especially among women, but it can also sometimes project a bad attitude. *Placing one's butt forward on a seat while reclining one's back. This is slouching.